Sifter.



F. LEHRMANN. SIFTBRf APPLICATION 111.1115 111111.30, 1911.

1,01 1,822. Patented Dec. 12,1911.

4 l A 5 H] Y I If FIGZ WITNESSES: INVENTOR.

FLEHRAMNN. B Y

, A TTORNE Y5.

cuLuMB|A P|.ANOGRAPl-| co., WASHINGTON. D1 c.

TTTTED STATES AENT OFFICE.

SIFTER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK LEHRMANN, a citizen of the United Statesof America, residing at Turtle Creek, in the county of Allegheny andState of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Sifters, of which the following 1s a specification, reference beinghad therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to sifters, and the primary object of myinvention is to provide a culinary utensil that can be advantageouslyused for sifting flour and powdered matter, without resorting to the useof both hands to properly hold and operate the sifter.

A further object of the invention is to provide a sifter with areciprocatory agitator for agitating the contents of the s1fter andcause the same to pass through a screen at the bottom of the sifter.

I attain the above objects by a mechanical construction that is simple,durable, free from injury by ordinary use, easy to manipulate andmaintain in a sanitary condition, and highly efficient for the purposesfor which it is intended.

The invention will be hereinafter specifically described and thenclaimed, and reference will now be had to the drawing, where in:-

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of the sifter, and Fig. 2 is ahorizontal sectional view of the same.

A sifter in accordance with this invention comprises a cylindricalmetallic shell 1 having the upper end thereof beveled, as at 2 toprovide a pouring spout or outlet 3.

Riveted or otherwise connected to the lower edges of the shell 1, as at1 is a band 5 and interposed between said band and the lower edges ofthe shell are the edges 6 of a horizontal screen 7 preferably made of afine mesh of wire. The band 5 extends below the lower edges of the shell1 to provide a rim adapted to receive a flanged lid 8, for closing thebottom of the sifter when desired. The lid 8 can be held by friction orany suitable hold-fast device.

Riveted or otherwise connected, as at 9 to the shell 1 is a C-shapedhandle 10 and slidably mounted in the vertical portion of said handle isan actuating rod 11 having a button or knob 12. Encircling the actuatingrod 11 between the handle 10 and the Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 30, 1911.

tions.

' Patented Dec. 12,1911. Serial No. 617,932.

button 12 is a coiled compression spring 13. The inner end of the rod 11is pivotally con nected, as at 14 to a fulcrumed lever 15, said leverhaving a strap 16 pivotally connected, as at 17 to a bearing 18, carriedby the shell 1. The bearing 18 is soldered or otherwise connected to theouter side of the shell 1. By this particular way of mounting the lever15, the fulcrum for pivot point is so located as to permit the lever toswing bodily about said pivot. The lower end of the fulcrumed lever 15is pivotally connected, as at 19 to the rear end 20 of an agitator 21,said agi tator being preferably made of a piece of wire bent to providea semi-circular looped formation extending over approximately half thearea of the screen 7. The end 20 of the agitator 21 extends through anopening 22 provided therefor in the shell 1 and the agitator 21 is in aplane below the end 20 of said agitator, whereby the vertical portion 23of the agitator can ride against the guide rod 24 arranged in the shell1 above the screen 7. By reason of the particular mounting of the lever15, the rods 11 and 20 may be connected to the lever with fixed pivotpoints without affecting the reciprocating movements of the agitator toany material degree, thus dispensing with the use of slotted connectionswhich tend to not only affect the operation of the device, but permitthe parts to move freely in undesired direc- Furthermore, thisparticular construction enables the operating parts to be located withinthe planes of the handle and therefore in a position where the handletends to protect them against damage. By holding the handle '10 with thefingers of the hand, the thumb can be used for reciprocating theactuating rod 11, and as this rod is actuated, the lever 15 is rockedupon its fulcrum to reciprocate the agitator 21 above the screen 7 ofthe sifter. The contents of the sifter will be sufliciently stirred andagitated to prevent clogging and will therefore pass through the screen7 When the lid 8 is applied to the bottom of the sifter, it can be usedas a scoop for handling flour, feed or other matter.

The sifter in its entirety is made of light and durable non-corrosivemetal, and while in the drawing there is illustrated a pre ferredembodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the structuralelements thereof can be varied or changed, as

to the size, shape and manner of assemblage without departing from thescope of the appended claims.

WVhat I claim is 1. A sifter comprising a shell, a screen carried by thelower end of said shell, a handle secured to said shell, a leverfulcrumed upon said shell Within said handle, the pivot point beingpositioned to permit the lever to swing bodily thereabout, an actuatingrod pivotally connected to the upper end of said lever and extendingthrough said handle, and an agitator arranged in said shell above saidscreen and having one end thereof extending through said shell andconnected to said fulcrumed lever.

2. A sifter comprising a shell, a screen carried by the bottom thereof,a guide rod arranged in said shell above said screen, a

reciprocatory agitator arranged between said guide rod and said screenand having the end thereof protruding from said shell, a handle carriedby said shell, a lever fulcrumed upon said shell and pivotally connectedto the end of said agitator, the pivot point of said lever beingpositioned to permit the latter to swing bodily about the pivot, and aspring pressed actuating rod movably mounted in said handle andpivotally connected to the upper end of said lever, said lever,actuating rod, and agitator being connected together with fixed pivotpoints.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signa ture in the presence of twowitnesses.

FREDERICK LEHRMANN. lVitnesses:

CHRISTINA T. H001), MAX H. SROLOVITZ.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

